A Free Life
by crazy-superstar
Summary: Sark convinces Sydney to leave the CIA to run away with him. However, when tradgic events occur, Sark is forced to fake his own death. A mourning Sydney, unwilling to cope with his death, leaves anyway. What will happen when she discovers that he's alive.
1. Winter Wonderland

Disclaimer: Not mine...not Sydney, not Sark (damn it!), blah blah blah, i think we all know how this goes. All Alias characters belong to the Genious that is J.J. Abrams.

NB: I know this is a really short chapter, but i promise the next one will be longer...ENJOY!

**Chapter One**

The snow gracefully floating to the ground, blanketing the land in layers of the crispy white powder. It continued on past her driveway, past the road and beyond where the mountainous landscape touched the misty sky. It remained innocent - uncorrupted by the hand of man. _It's impossible for anything this beautiful to be conquered by man._ The frost bit at her cheeks, the prickling sensation felt on her face reminded her that there was some feeling still left in her - at least on the outside anyway. Truth be told, Sydney Bristow had felt very little during her time in Australia. The Cabin she was currently residing in had been rented in a secluded region of The Snow Mountains of New South Wales, approximately a 4-hour drive from the state's capital, Sydney. She needed to come here; she craved the disconnection she felt with the world while she spent time here. During the winter months she would sit on the wooden porch and stare at the winter landscape that surrounded her, trying not to recall events of the past - she came here to forget. To forget how she ran to him as he slumped to the ground after a single shot to the chest. How she could still feel his blood on her fingers and the taste of salt-ridden tears upon her lips. He was the one true man she ever loved and yet she didn't even want to recall his name. But she could never forget those piercing ice-blue eyes staring into her as he died in her arms, the blood flowing down her leg and collecting in a pool around his body. Closing her eyes she allowed a tear to slowing run down the side of her face, moving at a slow enough pace that the glistening droplet had almost crystallised into ice upon her face; to become just another part of the icy landscape that enclosed the small wooden home.

Cautiously she looked up and slightly turned her head in response to a creak of the timber floorboards behind her. She gazed back out at the winter wonderland just as fast as she had looked up. "You shouldn't have come," she stated, never breaking eye contact with snow- cover mountains in front of her. "I don't know how you found me but shouldn't have come." Her gaze left the scenery and found its way to the floor below her. She turned around to face him, face the man who had killed the one whom she loved, yet she couldn't look straight at him.

"How could I not Sydney?" He deep gruffy voice cut through the air like a knife to butter. She looked up and came eye-to-eye at him for the first time in 3 years. He still wore the same black suit. _A black suit to match your black heart, you bastard_. He looks back at her with sympathetic eyes. "Despite what you did to me, to Vaughn, to everybody", he let out a heavy sigh, "you're still my daughter and I will never stop loving you. You hear me? Never. I talked to Vaughn and he forgives you, I forgive you too. Please Sydney, please come home."

"You forgive me?" She spat out, it was obvious to him the rage that was building up inside of her. "How could you be so narrow-minded?! You destroyed my life! You took the one good thing I had in my crappy existence and then you destroyed it." She greedily sucked in the cold air in an attempt to calm herself. She held back the tears that threatened to spill. No crying in front of dad. She steadily turned back around until he faced her back. "Just leave. When you destroyed Sark's life you destroyed your own. As far as I'm concerned I don't have a father."

"Sydney..."

"Please", she begged, "just go". The words came out so quietly it was as if they were a whisper and when she turned back around he had gone. She briefly wondered if he was truly there at all. Was he just a figment of her imagination, perhaps her subconscious telling her that there was still someone in the world who cared about her? Immediately she dismissed this trail of thought and started to make her way back into the cabin, the frost and ice that had accumulated on the porch crackled under her boots as she crossed the over the wooden deck. Once inside she calmly took her brown lace-up boots off and upon placing them next to the back door stiffly walked over to the living room. She wearily sat down on the welcoming sofa placed in front of the fireplace. She had lit it earlier and could feel it's warm presence on the couch. It's radiating heat, bringing feeling back into her numb body. It was here that she let her sorrow-filled tears fall.


	2. Running from the past

**_It's not much, I know, but I've had a stack of homework to do,(more excuses)...I promise the next one will be longer (probubly). Please R/R_**

**Chapter Two**

She took only what was needed - enough clothes for a couple of days, a book and small black and white photo of Sark taken from the CIA database before she left them. She left the CIA for him, a man who many would not call a man but rather a monster. He was a monster of whom other monsters dreaded to cross paths with. The kind who would not sneak up and kill you from behind, generally as most monsters would do, but rather strut right up to you, give you a mischievous grin and shoot you between the eyes. That was the monster he was. Was, being past tense, he was just another figure of her past. Another loved one whose life was destroyed because of her. Pushing down on the think navy blue material she zips the suitcase closed. Although it's a wheelie case she carries it to the front door and pauses only for a second before closing the heavy mahogany door behind her. Stepping in her black rented car she drives deep into the night. A street light can't been seen for miles, after all, she is in the middle of nowhere. The midnight blue dome above appeared infinite and evoked her sense of loneliness.

"I am finally all alone" she sighs heavily. Although it is obvious to anyone that she craves the presence of others, she bars herself from them. The bright lights of the stars above her are covered by cloud, their light unable to penetrate the dark blanket above. She needs to get away from here, from the seclusion of the quaint cabin in the heart of the Snowy Mountains. _They know where I am, but how did they find me?_ She didn't know where she was going but her newest alias, Miranda Jennings, did, and (by luck) she also happened to have Miranda's Passport and credit card with her. Miranda, once arriving at the airport, would jump on the next departing plane. She doesn't particularly care where she goes as long as it's where she can be convinced that no-one will find her. Not her father and defiantly not Vaughn. _All I want is to be alone._ Irrespective of where she goes, no one there will know who she was or who she loved. That's all that matters. The car glides along the road, the scenery dreamily drifts by until the snow-covered mountains have slowly faded into the distance.

It takes a quick 3 hours to reach the city. _It's 2 in the morning, why would there be anybody on the road at this time of night._ Pulling the car into the dimly lit garage at the rent-a-car place once arriving at the airport, she pays for the week and wheels her bag inside – after all what sane person would carry a wheelie bag? How strange that would look, and Sydney did not want to attract attention to herself. Step-by-step she makes her way along the terminal. It's packed with shops selling local souvenirs, make-up, and other duty-free purchase items. People scurrying in and out all around the airport terminal and yet she feels that she walks alone, the walls that enclose her push down the never ending tunnel. She walks down the endless tunnel waiting for a sign of life, subconsciously yearning for someone to see her. She needs love and affection but knows it can never truly be obtained because of who she is. Her head feels as if it's going to explode. Would anybody notice? She wonders. Turning down random corridor she looks around for any signs of life and, fortunately for her, there is none. Leaning against the wall she slumps to the ground. _The white tiled floor is cold beneath her body. What a day it must be for the great Sydney Bristow, spy-extraordinaire, to have a breakdown in the middle of the Sydney Airport?_ She thinks chuckling to herself. Looking at her watch it reads 3:30, she needs to catch her plane - an 11-hour trip to Shanghai was the next flight she possibly be booked on.

Standing up again she dusts herself down, dirt and grime float free themselves from the fabric of her clothes and fall back to the floor. Head held high and shoulders back she strolls back down the white corridor illuminated by long fluorescent lights above. As she quickly as she had staggered in she walks back and upon turning the corner back into the main terminal she abruptly stops. She has come face to face with the man she believed she loved. At first she thought she was imaging him. It had been so long since she had seen him and yet he looked almost the same. Those warm green eyes and his dishevelled hair bought back sweet memories of the time they spent when they were together, as a couple. She had waited almost a year and a half to be with him, only to discovered that they weren't meant to be. Sydney knew in her heart that he had loved her and would never forget the look of rejection and pain upon face after the realization that his love could not be returned by her. She takes a deep breath and exhales. _His smell is still as intoxicating as ever_...

"Hello Michael" she says with a shameful look in her eye. _How can he possibly face me?_

"Sydney where are you going?" She gazes away, cannot even look at him. "It's ok Syd, I'm here now. I've missed you so much." Tenderly he reached out for her, baiting her to move into his embrace.

"No" she protests. She doesn't need this, he doesn't need this. "Leave me alone, Vaughn, I want you to forget about me, forget that I ever came into your life. Forget that I ever walked into your office or accepted that you were my ally. Just forget me..." She pushes past him and continues her decent down the terminal to her gate. Ignoring her comments he grabs her arm and forces her to turn around and face him.

"Syd you just need to listen to me..." he says with stern eyes and a commanding tone in his voice.

"Let go of my arm or it'll be the last thing you ever touch." She glared at him and her eyes were no longer full of love as they had once been but were as hard and cold as a pair of glistening jewels. Vaughn cautiously let go of her arm and she resumed walking towards her destination.

"Please Sydney, you need to listen to me." Vaughn begged as he scurried after her. She didn't stop. "So you can tell me what?" she replied without even stopping, "that you've forgiven me too? That you accept that I left you for a cold-blooded killer?" She could hear his steps behind her and quickened her pace, wanting to get as much distance between them as possible. "Did you want to tell me that you want to get back together so we can, once again, become the perfect couple because we're so right for each other?" He could see the anger rising in her cheeks. "Come on Vaughn, what is it?" She was almost shouting at him. "Well?" She still didn't desist.

"It's about Sark"

"Yeah, what about him?"

"He's alive." She stopped. Time stopped. Memories of her lover's death flooded back into her mind. She could see the blood flowing from his chest and looking up saw her father standing in the shadows of the dark corner of the warehouse, gun in hand. She could still feel his hand reach up to her face and tell her that he loved her. That it was going to be all right. That she'd go on without him. _You survived before me and will long after I'm gone._ Was it possible? That somehow he'd managed to survived from a normally fatal gunshot wound. It was impossible

"You're lying" she blankly stated, full of disbelief and continued down the terminal. Vaughn stayed dead in his tracks and appeared to be the only person standing still, the only person watching her walk away. He knew it was hopeless and despite being told so by Jack went after her with the news anyway. Sydney knew that there was no way that Sark could have survived after that fatal shot, but in her heart she also knew that Vaughn would never lie to her. _He's alive... _

_**So...What did we think??? The presence of Sark would make it better I agree. So, ladies and Gentlemen, Sark will be making an appearence in the next chapter. But only if you review (pretty please...batts eyelashes and generally looks cute)**_


	3. Into the mind of a Killer

**Chapter Three – Into the mind of a killer**  
  
"Forget them Sydney. Forget them all" Sark whispered into Sydney's ear. "Come away with me and you'll never have to worry about your father or Vaughn ever again." He pulled his face back and reaching out and placed a piece of her stray hair behind her ear. It was as sheets of silt cut into delicate strands and placed upon the head of an angel. She was his angel, trying to save him from the monster that had overtake all his emotion and ability to respect life.

"Never is an awfully long time." She replied softly gazing into soft blue swirl of his eyes. Her gaze fell from his and found refuge on the ground letting a silent tear escape and drop to the sand below below. Carefully, as if he were afraid she may break, Sark gracefully lifted up her face to meet his own. They stood admiring each other in the moonlight for what seemed to be hours before Sark tentatively bent down and for the first time softly placed his lips upon her own. She willing replied by opening her own mouth allowing him better access. When their tongues meet Sark felt as if they were destined to be together, if it were predetermined by the stars watching through the dark dome above them. Her lips tasted of salt and sweet wine. When he found her on the beach, she was lying in the sand and admiring the stars. She appeared entranced, as if the moon and the stars had swirled together, hypnotically sent her into a state of obliviousness.

This was his favourite memory of her, one he knew he would not be quick to forget. Once agreeing to leave with him, Sark informed her that he would pick her up from a café in the heart of Italy, caffè di volo, two weeks from that very night. He couldn't figure out why anybody would want to call their café _The Flying Caf_, but upon hearing it's title he knew it would be their perfect meeting place. It was the thought of flying was the exact verb he could use to express his feeling towards Sydney. _As if I weightless and the cares of the world just flew by me. All I can think about is what is in front of me and forgetting past; it's behind me, rushed by in a big colourful blur. _

He stopped kissing her and tenderly took hold of her soft hand. "We'll leave and they'll never find us." Lovingly he pulled her into a hug and she responded by leaning into his embrace. "They'll try, I guarantee you they will try, but they won't ever find us. Not ever..." He ran his hand over the back of her head and down the length of her hair. It felt like liquid slipping through his fingers. Adoringly he kissed her forehead and started walking backwards across the sand, never breaking eye contact. He was only a couple of meters away before turning his back to her and walked away.

That was to be the last time she would ever get to see him. She could never learn of what he had done because he knew the information would devastate her. He believed he would never be able to obtain her forgiveness and rekindle their love. He knew that she would grieve over his death and instincts told him that she would run to get away. Run from the CIA and from those who, like him, loved her. He couldn't stand to see the reaction he would receive from her when she found out what he had done. He knew that she eventually would. He would explain to her that it was an accident, that it wasn't his fault. She would never believe him, bad memories of his past life would flood back into her mind and convince her that he was still a monster and beyond redemption. So he would make sure that she continue with the original plan, even though it would be without him. What she needed a new life, one that contrasted with the one she had now. _It doesn't matter if I'm not in it, as long as she leaves her present life_. She needed to go someplace where nobody knew who she was, what she was capable of doing or, for that fact, loving. They we're going to leave for the southern continent of Australia. Sark has recently purchased a small house in the secluded area of the Dandenong Ranges, located in the southern state of Victoria. It was perfect for the two of them, had everything they needed. A beautiful view hidden from the likes of the few neighbours they had, but, most importantly, a stash of weaponry, fake documents, passports and an escape route if they were needed. Now the house would never be used. It'll would sit up in those hills looking over the Dandenong Valley collecting dust and cobwebs, patiently waiting for someone to share the same space with it. It would have to remain alone for plans alter when people change. He couldn't let her see the change that had come over him.

It was easy in the spy world to fake one's death. She had seen many times before. If he even tried to pull off a stunt where there would be the slightest doubt in her mind, he knew there would be no chance that she would buy it. No, he would need to make sure she was there, that there was no doubt in her mind that he died there in her trembling arms. It had been quite an easy task for him, given his connections. The machine built for project: Helix that was blown up in that train yard by Sydney in Poland wasn't the only one built. Dr. Renzo Markovic, former R&D scientist, wouldn't be so stupid as to build only one. A greedy man, after receiving preliminary bids from many terrorist organisations, he thought it profitable to develop a duplicate machine. He had the duplicate positioned in Manchester, England. Sark sniggered to himself, being a Manchester United fan Markovic thought building it in his teams home town would bring him luck for the project. _Soccer fans...Who understands them_. He thought to himself. After taking the appearance of Agent James Lennox and being shot it was obvious that it wasn't so lucky for him, but for Arden Jezek, Markovic's chief of security, who continued with the project in his place, it seemed so. The CIA knew nothing about the duplicated machine and never once bothered them. It didn't look as if that they're lucky streak was ending anytime soon.

After a meeting with a broke English man, Sark's plan was coming into place. On the brink of suicide, the owner of a small tanning salon, he had been having financial problems with his business for the past year. His wife had left him for a French chef who worked in a successful restaurant in the centre of London. Their son had a brain tumour lodged in the back of his head. Of course, his wife had no knowledge of the son's condition – without even a 'goodbye', she practically disowned them when she left. Sark promised the distressed man that if he undergo the replicating progress and took Sark's place his son would have a long and bright future. Should he agree to impersonate Sark, the tumour would be removed and a sum of 3.5 million dollars would be transferred into the son's bank account.

"You will be shot" he said frankly and without a twitch of emotion that could be seen. "It is imperative that you make her feel loved when you die. If you fail to do so and she doesn't believe it was me, your son will die slowly and painfully _without a father or a cent to support him._" The man hand started to shake.

"Please" he begged, "my son..." Sark didn't let him finish.

"Do you understand my instructions?" The clearly terrified man slowly nodded in response then was lead into a black car to be driven away to where the procedure would take place.

The man did as he was instructed and Sydney believed that he had died in her embrace, have faith in the fact that he truly did love her. Not that he ever told her so. He could never tell her, he was incapable of expressing such a feeling. It was a contradiction of his being and wasn't a trait commonly shown or encouraged in his profession.

From the beginning Sark figured he had two options, disappear with Sydney and force himself to keep this secret from her, although he knew she would eventually discover the truth, so his only other option would be to fake his death. If he had merely broken contact with her he knew that she would stay with the CIA, keep the life she despised, and use all her efforts to try and find him. She would need answers that he was simply not prepared to give. By erasing himself from her life he knew that she would want to leave as soon as possible and setting up Jack meant he was severing the link that emotionally bindded her to that place. She would never figure out anything about what had happened to her mother because she would never be informed by the CIA of what had happened. Sark shook his head and tried to repress the thoughts from his memory and instead bought forth a replay of the night where he had "died".

It was 4 days before he was due to rendezvous with Sydney at that café in Italy. He had conjured up a plan that would have Sydney kidnapped from her home and taken to a empty warehouse located within a Los Angeles Shipping Dock. He had her sedated, and with the full intention of having her wake up unharmed he lead the team himself. Wearing a ski mask and night goggles he easily picked the lock of the front door and cautiously walked though her house towards her bedroom. Opening the wooden door, made a creaking sound and the slumbering Sydney stirred in her bed. Not waiting for her to wake up and engage in battle, he quickly shot the tranquilliser into her arm. Crouching at the side of the bed, he placed one arm under her legs and one under her back to support her while the lifted her into his arms. There she lay limp as a raggy-doll and her hair swayed from side to side as he walked. Placing her in the back seat of his car, Sark drove to the warehouse.

As she was still in her pajamas, he made sure that when he placed her on the metal cot there would be a blanket coving her to ensure she would not get too cold and wake up earlier than he had planned. From a platform high above the ground of the dark warehouse, he stood watching over her. Those standing on the ground would be unaware of his presence, his being there would be unknown to her. He observed his double walk over to his Sydney, lying asleep in that hospital bad and unaware of what was happening around her, with Sark's signature gun in his hand. He watched as Jack, who stood hidden among the shadows, take a shot from behind his double. Seeing the disheartened man fall to his knees before Sydney. It was like having an outer body experience, watching what was happening to your body but not being able to interfere. He watched as she sprang to life from her quiet slumber, and saw her lover's body on the ground and Jack walking towards the bed. Running to the side of who she believed to be the real Sark, she cradled him in her arms so tenderly and full of love, like a mother holding her child. He watched as the man's hand reached up to lightly stroke her face, before it dropped to the ground.

Although it nearly killed him to do so, Sark had left Sydney's life forever. _It was for the better._ He tried to convince himself. _Sydney will have a better life because I won't be part of it_. It was true that he was now out of her life, for her only a distant memory, but she would never be out of his. She haunted him to the point where he thought about her so much that it pained him not be with her. For several weeks he kept his up his hard-shelled appearance to his colleagues. _This doesn't effect me. Sydney doesn't effect me. You're dead to her._ But despite his efforts, she constantly occupied his thoughts. He had to see her. It didn't take him long to figure out where she would be headed. _Sydney's still grieving and would want to be where there is a connection to me. I know that she would still want to be with me._ For security reasons he never told her exactly where in Australia they would be headed or of the small home he arranged in Melbourne. He knew that he could trust her with his life, but never truly knew if he could completely and utterly trust her not to turn him in. _I am, after all, a cold-blooded killer, not worthy of one's love or affection._ It was failsafe embedded in him as a child. You know you can never fully trust anyone.

**_Ok, I will admit the ending was a bit icky, but it's finished and that what counts, right? It's a bit blabby but I needed to set everything up for the next chapter..._**

**_I don't know if anybody noticed the words spoken by Sark to Sydney in the begining where very similar to the wording used from a scene in Peter Pan (motion picture, not the animated one) I recently purchased the DVD and was watching it while I was writing this and when I heard those lines I just had to put it in. So a big thank you to the writer's of Peter Pan (I would name names, but unfortunatly my DVD was kidnapped by my friend and is yet to be returned grumbles). _**

**_Now you all know the deal, you like the story PLEASE WRITE ME A REVIEW!!! It really makes my day :)_**


	4. Leaving on a Jet Plane

_**JUST GOT BACK FROM SEEING HARRY POTTER!!! **so good....can't wait for the next one. I'm all inspired to re-read the books (agian) lol! Hey, did any aussies who may just happen to be reading this, watch the Hawthorn/Essendon game last weekend? That fight...now THAT was real football! (for those who don't know, a fight broke out between about 10 players ( I think) during a footy game. Punches were thrown and blood was spilled...was good entertainment!_

**_Before I start I would like to make notes to the following reviewers..._**

_**Zakes:**_ _Being an Australian, I am well aware that our nation's capital is Canberra not Sydney. Plus I don't think that I wrote that Sydney was the capital of Australia...(checks chapter one)...I actually mentioned that Sydney was the Capital of New South Wales. _

_**Agent Flamingo:** I actually thought about calling soccer 'football' in my fic coz Sark's a brit and all...but most people here in Australia (cept all you lovely people from the UK) would call it soccer. So, it didn't seem right me calling it 'football', specially since I'm a huge supporter of the AFL here. _

**__**

**Chapter Four - Leaving on a Jet Plane...**  
  
Sydney stood in the waiting area outside gate 47 and stared out the window to her plane outside. The sky had already started its transition from night to day; thin streaks of pink and orange started to break through the dark cover that, hours before, engulfed the State's main airport in black and blue. A light drizzle of rain outside came down like a fine curtain and, acting as a barrier, separating the brown-hair heroine from herself and the plane. Her gaze floated from the window to the line of people waiting to board the aircraft. Some looked overcome with excitement to be travelling by plane while other frequent fliers, mostly businessmen, looked tired and impatient. The string of people seemed to be decreasing at a rate quicker than her train of thought. She looked back out the window to watch some airport employees, clad in florescent orange jumpsuits, load baggage into the planes belly. Se reached out to follow the rivers of water, which had formed as a result of the rain running down the length of the window. She reached out and followed the running stream using her fingers, the temperature radiating from the glass was cold against her hand. Even without touching it she could feel its iciness. Suddenly the sound of a loud bell tolled from the speaker above, but her gaze did not wander from the mesmerising water of the rain down the window. Crackling with static the monotone voice announced: "this is the final boarding call for flight 2547, direct to Shanghai, China. This is the final boarding call for flight 2547 direct to Shanghai, now boarding at gate 47" She inhaled deeply and, letting out a heavy sigh, looking herself in the eye using the reflecting of the glass._ I need more time to think._

"I know you don't really want to get on the plane Syd." Vaughn spoke from behind her. She didn't turn around to look at him but rather stared at his reflection standing next to her in the window, the raindrops on the window slightly distorting his image. "Or you would have boarded it by now."

"Why shouldn't I leave? It's not like there was anything for me here any more. Just like there was nothing left for me back in Los Angeles."

"What are you talking about Sydney?" Vaughn questioned, his hands moving to rest themselves upon her shoulders. "You have your father, you have me..." "That's not what I was talking about." She moved away from him causing his hand to fall back to his sides. "That life..."she paused and took a deep breath. "My past life with the CIA, I hated it. I despised how choices I made affected others around me. How one wrong decision could result in the death of yet another agent. I'm not only talking about other CIA agents who risk their life day in and day out for their country, but for Francie and Danny. They died for stupid, pointless reasons. I swear they would still be alive today if it hadn't been for me."_ I need to get as far away from you as possible._ "How can you stand there and try to convince me to come back to that life?" "I don't Syd, I promise I would never want to force anything on you that you didn't want to do...but...." He didn't know if he could bring himself to say it, tell her the truth about Sark and her mother. _She needs to know the truth. She deserves to be told._

"But what?" She asked with glint of frustration in her eye. Vaughn looked morbidly at the blue carpet below. _Is there anyway I can say this without her hating me?_ "I do have a plane to catch so if you wouldn't mind being a little more responsive..."

"It's your mother." He looked up to her and her face was blank, her facial expression didn't allow him to read what she was thinking. "About 2 months ago Echelon intercepts had picked up the word's 'Irina Derevko'. Rumours have been circulating through the underworld that she had died whilst on a mission. They say she fell from a cliff face in Albania." Vaughn easily imagined his father's killer fall from a towering cliff face and smashing on the sharp, jagged rocks ground below her. Her remains would be so badly mutilated from the drop that the only method of identifying her would be though her DNA records. "Naturally I looked into it, tried to find out the truth of what had happened. According to my sources your mother hasn't been seen by anyone for the period since her disappearance." Sydney's eye's filled with tears, she tried to blink them away but one slipped away from her and slid down her porcelain cheek. "Unfortunately that's not the only thing." Sydney could tell from the look on his face that he was going to struggle with this. "Last week a security camera at a bank in London caught an image of who we believe was Sark." She stared at him at first in shook, and then in disbelief. 

"There's no way..."she murmured, grabbing the photo from his hand. It showed a black and white image of a man in a black Armani suit with short ruffled hair, standing next to a wall, staring out at the road.

"I don't know what to tell you said but I think..." he didn't have a chance to finish.

"...that Sark had something to do with it? You always did tend to jump to conclusions. If, and I emphasise _if_, he were alive and well he would have found a way to contact me. It's not as if I was hard to find...even you could do it." She said those words with such a bitter tone in her voice that it stabbed at Vaughn. "I'm sorry I shouldn't have said that. You have been nothing but loyal to me, even though..."

"...you destroyed my life." He finished her sentence, hurtfully looking down on her. She looked up at him with pity in her eyes. 

"Vaughn, I'm so sorry. It was never my intention to hurt you."

"Well you did. I can't possibly express the feeling of rejection and pain you inflicted on me after I found that you had left me for him. You will never know the hatred I feel for Sark for taking you away from me."

"Now you know how I felt when you were with Lauren all those years ago. It tears at your soul, doesn't it? Hurts every morning to get out of bed and having to put on a happy facade for those around, so they think that you're coping with it; but, on the inside you really want to rip that person standing between yourself and the one you love to shreds. To receive sweet satisfaction from seeing their bloodied face look up at you as they begged for mercy." Vaughn was dumbfounded at Sydney's sudden burst of repulsion towards his ex-wife. "Love's a bitch, ain't it?"

"That was different. When I married her I didn't know she was covenant. Everyone knew Sark was working for them. He still does you know."

"Shut up!" She quietly demanded. "Sark left them, he left them for me! He told me that I kept him honest, turned him into a whole new person." She closed her eyes and played the whole scene out in her mind. It was as if she were still there, standing on that beach covered in the star-filled darkness of night. See could feel the gritty sand worm its way in-between her toes and the taste of salt on the night air. _I owe you everything Sydney, and you owe me nothing..._

"If that's all true Sydney then why hasn't he come to see you? To explain what happened with your mother, and the true reason he faked his own death? If he truly loves you, like you claim, the same way I still love you..." Sydney looked up to face him, her eyes were glittery, the effect of the light reflecting from the water collecting in her eyes. He reached out to wipe away a tear that had appeared on her cheek. The tenderness radiating from him told her he was telling the truth, "...then he would never have let you go. I know because I still feel that way about you Syd. You're right. I do wake up each morning and wondering where you are and if you're safe. Something I close my eyes and I can imagine you lying close to me. I can feel your heart beating, hear sweet voice and run my hand through your silky hair. Then I'll open them up again and you're gone. Even the sweetest dream will never compare to the real thing. I don't want it to be a burden I forever have to live with."

Sydney stood in disbelief of what Vaughn had just expressed to her. She really did love him and leaving Vaughn was the hardest thing she ever had to do. "I understand how you feel, because I feel it when I'm not with Julian." This was the first time she had mentioned his name, and it dug into him like a knife. However, he keep the pain to himself, never making a mental note not to show Sydney how she really affected him. "I'm sorry Vaughn, I truly am, but I don't love you in the same way. I still care for you and you'll always have a place in my heart, but I can never love you the way I love Sark."

"How can you love him more than me?" His teeth were clamped together as spat out the words at a tearful Sydney. "Haven't I been loyal to you, to our relationship?" His voice was starting to rise in volume much more than it should have.

"Vaughn, keep your voice down." Sydney fruitlessly pleaded, but he ignored her. "I've risked my life you more than once, _Sydney_." He said her name with such spitefulness, that she could feel her own anger starting to bubble over. "I nearly died while infiltrating SD-6 with you. In Taipei I nearly drowned trying to help you, and you left me for that cocky, arrogant, British bastard..."

**WHACK!** Sydney slapped him hard across the cheek. Her hand still throbbing from the force of impact when her hand made contact with his skin. He stood astonished. Reaching up to touch his face, he couldn't believe that his Sydney just hit him. "Fuck you Vaughn! If you still love me, as you so openly claim to, you will respect my feelings and those who they belong to." She roughly grabbed the handle bar of her bag and turned to face him one last time. "Don't follow me. Stop looking for me, your presence isn't welcome any more..." She pushed him out of her path and made her way to finally board the plane.

Without even staying to watch the plane leave, Vaughn marched angrily out into the mainstream of the terminal. He was absolutely fuming over the way Sydney had treated him. Others could obviously sense his anger and frustration in the airport, they all moved aside and allowed him to pass them with little interference. _I'm gonna find Sark_, he promised himself, _and when I do he's gonna pay for what he's done to her..._

__

**That last scene when Syd slaps Vaughn was SOOOOOO satisfying for me. I've been trying to think of a scene where I have have a slapping session and inflict pain on the non-worthy Syd lover. (sorry all you SV shippers...) **

**"So what _is_ Vaughn going to do now?" I hear you say? or more importantly "WHERE IS SARK?" All these questions will be answered if...(you guessed it)...REVIEW!!! That's right, all it takes is one little review from you to me for the next chapter to appear! Of course it may take a couple of day's coz I've just finished writing this one, but i can tell you that SARK WILL BE MEETING SYDNEY IN THE NEXT CHAPTER!!! (gasp!)**

****


	5. True Love Never Dies

**_Please note that it can take me up to 5 hours to write a chapter and I really REALLY love it when people review. Makes me feel all happy and mushy on the inside hehehe..._**

**_ATTENTION all Collingwood Supporters of Victoria!!! Although we just lost our game to Melbourne I am confident that strength and good support from the club will win us our next match. To all the Melboune supporters out there...YOU SUCK (pouts)...but it was a good match and you played well!_**

**_A Note to the following reviewers..._**

**_majesticness: Thank you for noticing that slight typo in chapter three. I thought i got them all, slippery suckers they are!_**

**Chapter Five - True Love Never Dies  
**  
For Sydney the journey on the plane was somewhat tiresome. She had travelled so much during her missions that the thrill of the flying had lost its edge. Arriving in Shanghai at three in the afternoon. She hailed a taxi, which took her to the Hilton Hotel. Located in the city's centre, it was one of the most prestige hotels in the area. Having called ahead from Sydney, she booked the presidential suite. _I'll only be there for a day, may as well do it in style_. She certainly wasn't kidding herself when she meant style. A 3-bedroom apartment, it was situated on the top floor of the grand building and had a balcony, providing Sydney with a magnificent view of the city. Walking through the main body of her miniature palace, with its high ceiling and crystal chandelier, she opened a door to her left. Sparkling white tiles lined the floor and a mirror expanded the entire length of the wall, greeted her. The bathroom was the size of her old bedroom back in LA. Walking into the room, her heels clicked upon the hard marble floor and spun a full 360 degrees for a proper view of the place. Her favourite feature was the classic porcelain bathtub far right side. All along the edges were white and pink candles of different sizes; some lavender incense was also placed in the corner and a lighter lay next to it. Walking out through a door separate from the one she entered in, she reached the main bedroom. It consisted of a double king-size bed, with pearl coloured sheets of silk and a royal blue doona cover over them. This majestic bed was surrounded in four high beams of deep brown mahogany wood. Running her fingers over its slippery surface she could clearly see it's grains breaking through the dark wood polish. Then, leaping into the air, she landed, shaped as a star, in the dead centre of the bed. The covers were thick and soft beneath and she felt like she was sinking further and further into it. Taking off her shoes and throwing them on the floor, she made her way to the head of the bed and crawled under its welcoming covers. Bringing her knees up towards her chest, she curled into a ball and went into a deep slumber.

It was to be another six hours before she woke up and wandered back outside onto the busy streets. It was now half past nine and she was very keen to be up and about. The bright lights of the buildings illuminated the city sky that remained hidden from the brilliant glow of the stars and moon by a thick layer of smog. She walked aimlessly around the city block, observing the local residents around her. A group of teenage girls passed her talking and giggling madly to each other and an old man, sitting outside his home puffing on a cigarette, staring at her as she passed. She strolled past a traditional local restaurant where two businessmen were sitting at a table drinking some green tea and slurping up noodles. Feeling a bit peckish herself, Sydney started to make her way back to her hotel to for some room service. _Why eat by myself in a restaurant when I can do it in the comfort of my own room!_ She thought, chuckling to herself.

Opening the door to her room she noticed the lights were out. Moving her hand alone the wall next to the door she searched for the light switch, and turned it on and off. Nothing. She walked through the door and over to a lamp on a table. It didn't come on either and that would only mean one thing. "I wouldn't bother with that if I were you." Astonished her eyes widened to see the outline of a person sitting on the sofa. She undoubtable recognised his voice. _But it can't be_. "It doesn't work." Shaking her head she released a tear, which sprung from her eye and trickle down to the blood-red carpet below. She knew the darkness of the room wouldn't permit him to see it. "Julian..." she exclaimed in a soft airy voice. 

"I had to see you again Sydney." He stood up from the sofa and started to walk towards her. "It killed me not to be with you." She turned to face him, to stand opposite the man who broke her heart and shattered her dreams. Whose smile would make her melt and whose embrace wiped away all her worldly troubles. To him, she looked exquisite in the moonlight which creped into the room through a crack in the curtains.

"That was a choice you made." She said, lacking of any emotion in her tone as she pushed past him in the walk over to the bedroom. Only a few steps behind, he followed her there. 

"And I admit it was the wrong one. Sydney I'm so sorry you had to go through this. I only did it because...

"What happened to my mother?" She interrupted whipping herself around, changing the direction of the conversation, head held high and staring at him with cold eyes. "Is she dead, alive, in a coma, what?" She saw he was reluctant to answer her. "You're her right hand man, I know you know."

"I presume Vaughn told you what happened in Albania while you were in the airport. I couldn't hear a thing but from your expression it looked as if he was." She silently nodded. Taking a deep breath and bowed his head as if in prayer and spoke. "I'm sorry, I tried to grab her but she was too far down the cliff, only just out of my grasp. If I were to reach down any further I certainly would have fallen myself. I ran back to our truck to retrieve some climbing equipment, but I was too late." He took a slight pause and looked up to see her leaning against the bedpost, a lonely tear flowed down her face. Another soon followed it, then another and another, until water was streaming down her cheeks. "I came back and she was gone, vanished. There was no sign that she had managed to climb back up. I could only assume that..." He didn't finish but she could tell what he was going to say. She fell. _One of the world's greatest spies dies, not in the line of duty, but as a result of falling off a cliff._

"So why didn't you tell me?"

"Oh yeah, by the way I left your mother to die on a cliff face and she fell to her death. What the hell was I supposed to tell you?!"

"How about the truth instead of pulling that stunt and faking your own death! When you died, I died. My soul died when I thought yours did. Months after it happened, when I was up in the Snowy Mountains...It was like a sadness that never went away, I would be cooking myself dinner and break down into tears over something insignificant, like dropping a pan! Even though you're back that sadness is still there. It's still lingers because you didn't trust me enough to tell me the truth. I gave you my heart and soul and you took yours from me." Unable to stand the sight of him anymore she turned away from him. "That night on the beach you told me that you owed me everything and I owed you nothing. Since that night nothing has changed. I still owe you nothing because you are _nothing_ to me."

"That's not true Sydney. You know it in your heart as much as I do in mine. I didn't tell you the truth, because I thought it would kill you to hear it. I didn't want you to wake up everyday in bed with the man who allowed your mother to die. I kept it a secret from you because I loved you."

"Without trust there is no love."

"But I did love you. I still love you." He said the last sentence so softly that Sydney wondered if had actually mentioned it. He had never actually said "I love you" to her before, she didn't think he was capable of acknowledging such an emotion. She knew he felt it, but, given what he was, wouldn't be so quick to mention it. "I know that you still feel the same way about me..." Coming up from behind her, he slid his hands up her back and with one hand, moved aside her long slick chocolate hair to the opposite side of her fragile body and then rested them on the on the tips of her shoulders. His face made its way closer to her neck until she could feel his breath penetrating her skin. She unknowingly moved her head sideways, allowing him room to gently plant a soft feather kiss on the long of her neck. "...because, my dear Sydney, true love never dies." She was his true love.

She let him to continue exploring the crook of her neck with his mouth. In short moment of ecstasy, she quietly moaned his name, _Julian_, and could feel his lips smile on her skin as a result of hearing it. Those lips took such an effect on her that she wouldn't be able to make him stop. He knew what he was doing and knew how she would react to it. Slowly his hands moved down her arms until her hands were in his own. He placed the lose one on her hips and, pulling her away from the support of the wooden beams, stopped kissing her porcelain neck and moved her backwards into his embrace. He held her there in his arms and for the first time in months she felt safe.

"How did you pull it off?" She asked, never looking directly at him.

"The Helix machine. There was a second one." She had a quick flashback from the first time she heard of this extraordinary machine. She was back in the CIA and was at morning brief on the extraction of Agent Lennox. She looked to her side to see Vaughn turn at the same time and give her a heart- warming smile. Then her father's over-powering voice got louder and, refocusing their attention, both looked back to face him. _"Over the past few years it had become common practice for wanted terrorists to employ men who looked like them. Decoys designed to mislead intelligence agencies. With this new procedure this would no longer be necessary. Men like Osama Bin Laden could simply be made to look like someone else."_ She smiled. _Of course there was a second machine! Why wouldn't there be?_

"Julian..."She whispered, finally turning around and looking up to face him.

"Shhhh..." He interupted and ran a finger along her cheek. He could still feel dampness where tears where running down minutes ago. Ever so slowly, Sark moved his face closer to her own, right until they were only centimetres apart. Sydney's hands had moved from their resting place on her hips up to his chest where she could feel his beating heart. "I don't know if I can do this." She said looking back down at the floor. Tenderly he lifted her face back up towards his own and, closing the gap between them until, at last, his lips touched her own. She parted them and gave him better access to her mouth. It was sweet and tender; _I've missed this so much. I've missed him so much_, that for that moment, she had forgotten what he had done to her, and only lived in that instant of time. Their kiss deepened and she could feel him subtlety pulling her towards the bed's direction. Before that enchanting kiss could go any further she stopped it, reality taking a hold of her.

"I can't do this." She said pushing herself away from his embrace. "You broke my heart and my trust." She took yet another step back. "I can't deny that I still love you, but right now, when I looked you, all I see is a liar."

"_Technically_ I didn't lie to you. Lying implies deception. I just didn't relay certain information." He could tell she was far from amused by his effort to lighten the mood with his little remark

"Are you telling me that fooling me into believing you were dead wasn't a form of deception? Seriously Sark, how stupid do you think I am?"

"You're a lot smarter than me, Miss Bristow. You wouldn't do something so profoundly stupid to one you love. Please forgive me Sydney." He begged, walking closer to her, trying to close that gap between them. Reaching out he placed a strand of stray brown hair behind her ear. She didn't speak. Didn't breath. Didn't move. "Please. You're all I have left in this world."

**_A bit corney I think in some sections, but oh well! As tempted as I was to include a Sark Slapping Scene, it didn't seem appropriate at this time. (maybe later, lol). _**

**_Now, there are two ways we can go about this..(1) I get an overwhelming amount of reviews from S/V shippers chanting "DIE SARK DIE" in which case Sark will be slapped and lucky if Sydney doesn't beat him to a bloody pulp. (2) S/S shippers retailiate and proclaim that Vaughn is a nasty bastard and Syd and Sark are meant for each other, in which case they'll be getting back together in the next chapter. It all depends on you..._**


	6. The Intruder

**_Well, due to a tramendous uproar from the Sarkney supporters, I have written this as a S/S chapter. S/V SHIPPERS BEWARE!_**

**_I know this is written kind of stupidly, but it's from a different persons POV so I wanted to try and reflect some of their personality in my writing, I don't know how well it worked though...PLEASE R/R_**

**Chapter Six - The Intruder**  
  
The dark cover of night made it difficult for the stealthy observer to see from the building opposite into the Presidential Suite of the Hilton Hotel. Listening equipment was scattered over the grey dusty carpeted floors of the hotel's cheep single room and the television had been ridged to show the activities occurring in Sydney's room using night vision technology. Distinct Static voices of the people in that room could be heard using the device;  
__

_"Without trust there is no love."  
"But I did love you. I still love you. I know that you still feel the same way about me, because, my dear Sydney, true love never dies."_

A tape was recording every word said by these two agents, these two enemies. At least, at a time they were. There was once a time when they would rather jump at each other's throats than consider the slightest possibility that they were destined to be together. Their blossoming relationship had made the intruder most displeased. The thought of Sark touching her, kissing her, making love to her; the mere thought was nauseating. He doesn't deserve her... Through the live feed connected to the TV, Sydney could be seen flicking away Sark's hand and walking out of the room. _"After all that's happened, all the emotional turmoil you put me though, how can you ever expect me to trust you again? I should hate you to the point of repulsion..."_ was heard crackling though the speakers. The infiltrator watched as Sark followed her to the sitting area where she sat upon a couch, he back facing the window. _He stood behind her._

_"...and yet you don't. I can see in your eyes that you still want this to work."_ Cocky, over confident bastard._ "I can't understand it either, after what happened with your mother..."_ Sark paused. _"I thought you would never forgive me."_ And if she knows what's good for her, she won't.

_"And I shouldn't, but, even though I'm so angry at you for allowing her to fall, my heart tells me that there was nothing you could do. That, despite it would mean control over her organisation, you still tried to help her."_ Sark walked around to face her.

_"She was my mother too. Not by blood, but by spirit and by love. She was my mentor and cared for me as if I was her own child. She saved my life countless times and I couldn't even reach far enough to pull her up from a cliff. A CLIFF SYDNEY! SHE FELL FROM A STUPID CLIFF!"_ Sark turned away towards the window, hoping that Sydney wouldn't notice the tears, which could be seen shimmering through the window. _"She deserved better." _It was like watching some trashy soap opera. Sark would most likely end up being her second cousin who had and affair with her sister, who's now carrying his child, but is really in love with Sydney and want's to eloped so they can get married in Vegas. Sydney grabbed a tissue and, turning his head back to face her, wiped dry his salty tears.

_"She certainly did. She was a great woman. Even though she was an enemy of the United States and I believed she was fighting for an unjust cause, I still admire her for her skill and dedication."_ They were silent for another minute then continued reminiscing of times past spent with Sydney's late mother. The whole twenty-minute conversation was caught on tape. Sydney spoke of her with such a respectful tone towards the woman who had abandoned her at the age of 6.

_"Sydney, where will you be leaving tomorrow?"_ She gave him a surprised look, as if questioning how he knew about her departure. _"Well I figure you don't want to be around when Vaughn gets here." _Wouldn't that be interesting to see…

_"I don't know. I'll get to the airport and decide from there. Just jump on a plane and disappear." _

_"Come with me."_ Taking the hands that lay in her lap, he placed them in his own. _"Come away with me. I have a jet standing by and it can take us anywhere. I have the power and the funds for us to vanish off the face of the earth."_ She turned around to face him. Her face obviously radiating anxiety at what he was proposing.

_"And if the CIA find us? What would happen then?"_ She replied with a slight quiver of fear in her voice. _"What if my Father and Vaughn locate us. They'll kill you, you know."_

_"I know that. I would feel and do the same if they were the ones keeping you from me."_ Watching as he slipped off the couch he got down on one knee in front of her. _OMG DON'T YOU DARE PROPOSE TO HER YOU BASTARD! _He never let go of her delicate hand._ "I can't guarantee that they'll never find us. You can never be so sure of something like that. All I can tell you Syd, is that we'll finally be together and away from the whims of the world. It'll be you and me again. You can't deny that you don't want to leave with me."_ He looked up at her with adoring eyes that begged her to agree to his plan.

_"Well,"_ she started, removing one of her hands from his and running it through his hair lovingly _"I never could say 'no' to you when you put on that puppy face."_ She smiled down at him but Sark said nothing. Instead the intruder watched as he pulled her down onto the floor and pulled her underneath him; trapping her with his heavy body. She grabbed his tie, which brought him to meet her in a passionate kiss. He ran his hand through her hair and they made their way down her body. _"Maybe we should move this to eh…."_ She looked over at the bedroom. Placing his arms under her he easily lifted her into the air and into the bedroom…

Pushing the voice recorder over in a fit of frustration, it stopped taping upon hitting the floor. "I was finished with them anyway" she said the machine when it became incapable to complete it's work._ There's no way that I'm going to let him drag my Sydney down to his level. Sark is way over his head this time…_

_**So what did you think? Was me putting in the POV (though there wasn't too much reference to it) worth it? Please, PLEASE, tell me how I could improve this fic. Constructive C****riticism is always welcome. ** _

**_BUT WHO IS THE INTRUDER?! I hear you ask...well...send me a review and maybe I 'll tell you, lol! I'll try to have another chapter up by the end of this weekend, because I'm not going to have much time to do much writing during the holiday after next week. _**


	7. Come Fly with Me

**_Ooo...I'm disappointed that I only got 4 reviews for the last chapter but it was crap so I understand. I usually hate POV but I felt it was necessary that I used it. I promise to never use it again unless I positivly have to coz I really suck at writing POV's._**

**_This chapter's title came to me after listening to Michael Buble's "Come fly with me" (dances around) I love that song and really want to go to his concert...Stupid Parents are letting me go...(Cries) So this chapter is dedicated to him coz I can't go to his show. _**

**_With the other chapter, most of you have narrowed it down to three people: Vaughn, Jack or Irina (who ppl believe may not actually be dead! gasp!) I finished this at 2 in the morning, so I really hope it's appriciated, READ AND REVIEW WOULD MAKE ME VERY HAPPY!!! Anywhooo, enough of me blabbering on about stuff, here's the next CHAPTER!!!_**

**Chapter Seven – Come Fly with Me**

_If I should die this very moment, I wouldn't fear. _

_For I've never known completeness like being here._

_Wrapped in the Warmth of you, loving every breath of you. _

_Stole me heart this moment, oh it might burn._

_Can we stay right here, til the end of time, til the earth stops turning._

_Wanna love you til the seas run dry._

_I found the one, I've waited for…_

_- Goreki, Lamb_

Sydney felt that all her worlds had collided into onto one tangled mass of royal blue. Her milky white skin weaved through the silk sheets and her hair fanned out on his Chest. She watched as his torso rise and fall with each breath, she could hear his every breath. Carefully, as not to wake him, she moved her head to look at his face. She could see his chin had started to develop stubble. Giving him a gentle, loving smile, she repositioned herself so he was resting her head back on his chest. _I've found the one I've waited for. _She moved her arm to lie across his stomach and felt his snaked up around her, bringing them closer together. Sark rested his on the small of her back and played with the tips of her soft hair with his fingers. His other hand lay under his own head, his blonde hair hard and brittle when compared to that of the woman who lay in his arms. Sydney's eyes fluttered open and she turned her head enabling him to see the wide smile that played across her face. She wasn't wearing any elegant dress or a piece of glamorous jewellery, yet in the light of the morning sun penetrating through the window that reflected off her flawless skin, Sark thought she looked exquisite. _I don't think I've ever seen someone look so magnificent._

"Good morning." She was grinning at him like a fool in love. Sark stroked the underside of her chin and guided it towards his face for a kiss.

"Mmm…it certainly is now." Sydney gave him a cheeky smirk, similar to his own, then sat up to straddled him. Layers of bed sheets pooled around her waist as she looked over her exposed shoulder to glance at the clock on the back wall. 6:30. Placing her hands on either side of his head, she hovered above him. Tilting her head then lipping her lips, she swooped down to lick out the hollow of his neck. He closed his eyes and leaned his head back into the pillow. Waves of ecstasy overtook him and she heard the groan that escaped his lips as she moved over to the other side, a clear indicator of the power she had over him. "We need to leave." He protested though it was quite clear he didn't want to move an inch. "We do have a plane to catch…"

"What plane?" She questioned, immediately stopping flickering her tongue over his neck and sitting back up. Sark felt a rush of cool air on his skin as the warmth of her body left his.

"Oh, no plane." He replied grabbing her arm and pulling her on top of him. "No plane." He murmured to himself. She met his lips greedily and Sark rolled her over so that he could be the one on top. Leaning over to one side and propping up his head using elbow he rested it on his palm. He traced his finger along the edge of her body, from hairline to hips. She simply stared back up at him, biting on her lower lip and raising her eyebrow, trying to bait him back into finishing what they had started. She ran a lip along her white teeth and leaned up towards him. "Miss Bristow, contain yourself…" he said jokingly, stooping down to engage in another lip-lock. He pulled away. "Right, we really need to go. Now, as a matter of fact." She looked at him with a puzzled look in her eyes. "Call it intuition."

Sydney already had all her things packed, so they just jumped out of bed and put on their clothes and headed for the airport. _"No time for a shower. We can have one on the plane." _He had said to her when they were getting dressed. She gave him a mocking gasp_. "We?" _she had inquired in a serious tone to which he replied with a wink. Though this had happened less than an hour ago, she still giggled at the quirky memory. As they walked towards Sark's private jet, Sydney clasped his hand in hers and mutually they intertwined their fingers. Soothingly, Sark rubbed his thumb over hers. "It'll be alright now Sydney. We're going to be ok."

From the outside, the plane didn't appear to be particularly big, but once inside Sydney was that it was decked out in all the comfort's expected from a man such as Sark. The first section had two doors, one on the left leading into the cockpit and one on the right which lead into the rooms at the rear of the plane. Walking though the door on her right, Sydney was lead into the main body of the plane. The wallpaper was a creamy colour and two single seats were placed at the front of the cabin and a double seat was at the back. Along the back wall she noticed a door, blood red in colour. Once allowing her access, Sark looked the door behind them and watched as she made her way towards the back of the cabin, but before she made it she looked back over her shoulder to see him staring at her; hunger in his eyes. She gave his her seductive smile and 'come hither' look. Raising an eyebrow, he walked toward his prize, the woman standing opposite him. Hands on her hips, they were at it _again. _Sark took her by the hand and led her towards the back door. He was just about to open it when: _"We will be taking off in 30 seconds. Please take your seats and fasten your seatbelts during take-off"_ Sark looked over at Sydney with a glint of disappointment in his eyes_._ Sydney gave him a kiss. "Don't worry love, we'll be in the air soon enough."

Sydney had positioned herself on the double seat at the back and watched as Sark walked toward her, the look of passion in his eye. He sat next to her and rested his arms along the back of the double seat. Once buckling up, she moved closer to him, more into his warm embrace. The engines roared to life and small vibrations told them that the plane had already started moving. He turned his body to face her better and doing the same, he pushed the back of her head towards his and gave her a rough kiss. _That's gonna leave a bruise. _They both tried to get as close to each other as physically possible. The plane gathered speed on it's decent down the runway but Sark and Sydney payed no attention to it. He moved his hand from his waist and up her back, the coolness of his hands left trails of goose bumps on her skin. He moved it back down her back and along the length of her leg until her reached her knee. Running his hand slowly up her thigh, it slipped under her skirt, and she could feel her moan with pleasure of what this was leading to. It was then that, the intercom buzzed to life and the voice the pilot said "_We have now reached our flying altitude of 10,000 feet and you are now free to move about the cabin. We will be arriving at our destination in approximately six and a half hours."_ "Now just what are we going to do for a whole six and a half hours." She questioned Sark who stopped what he was doing and removed his hand from under her black pleated skirt. "Hey!" she protestingly cried. He took back her hand and lead her though the main cabin to the back door. When opening it, Sydney could see that it was the plane's bedroom. The walls were a romantic shade of red and its rounded interior enclosed a double bed.

"Shall we?" Sark said, swooping her up in his arms and carrying her over to the bedside before throwing her in the middle. He stood over and watched as lay sprawled in the middle, though it looked as if she had been strategically placed there to arouse his…attention. Her left hand was lying across her stomach while the other was placed behind her head and was playing with her long chestnut hair. Her eyes stared lustfully into his own and she, once again, started bitting on her lower lip. She cocked her head to the side and eagerly waited for him to join her. Impatient, she leaned up and, grabbing his tie, pulled him on top of her. They tongues mingled once more until Sark moved his head back to take a good look at her. "God, your beautiful." Sydney didn't say anything but simply blushed. "What is this? The great Sydney Bristow is speechless!" He said in a mocking tone. "I never thought I'd see the day when…" She placed a finger over his mouth before he could continue any further.

"Stop talking and kiss me." It was as plain and simple as that. _Well I'm not one to disobey orders._ Sark though as her recapture her mouth with his own.

It would be another 4 hours before they resurfaced from that room. They would look out the window to see an endless sea of blue above them and below them. They were currently flying north over the Pacific Ocean, towards the great land of Canada. Here Sark's jet would be refuelled and they would fly south, towards the Caribbean. They would be hiding there for a week with one of Sark's old associates before flying over to England.

_**The song at the begining, Goreki by Lamb, is a beautiful song and I highly recomend you go and download it or something. It was played in the movie Moulin Rouge as well for those of you interested. And for the other line "God your beautiful", credit must be paid to the writers of Mission: Impossible 2.**_

**_OH, before I forget, I'm looking for beta readers, so anybody interested leave me a message in a review or send me an email. Thanks ;)_**


	8. Beyond the Sea

_**Hey there! Sorry I haven't update for like 2 weeks. The holidays started last friday and I've been away on Philip Island for a week with no internet access. I just got back this afternoon and (after having a nap) finally finished this chapter. By the way 000 Means there is a flashback. **_

_**THREE CHEERS FOR COLLINGWOOD WHO JUST SLAUGHTERED THE HAWKS !140 TO 75!!! (runs around dancing) IN A SUPER GOOD MOOD TODAY!!! (hurrah!)**_

_**A note to the following reviewers:**_

_**bluebear-74: It's always good to meet fellow Collingwood supporters! Glad you're enjoying the fic!**_

_**wicked-sista: Oh, I thought I got all the "she's" out of there. Bother....Good catch, a cookie for you!**_

**_annie: Girl you are absolutly right! This fic has gotten a bit corney. I didn't want it to be too corney but unfortunatly it has turned out that way. (sighs) I tried to fix this wee bitty problem in this chapter, but...er...yeah. Tell me what you think._ **

**Chapter Eight - Beyond the Sea**

A cool breeze flew over her delicate skin and tiny crystals of sand took off into the pink sky, the air moulding its shape, as if it were a thing to play with. The heat of the day retained in the sand and Sydney could still feel it warmth as she lay on the private beach of Samantha Churchill on the Island of Puerto Rico. She could hear the rustling of the coconut trees swaying in the cool summer breeze behind her. The sound of the waves crashing on the sure she found soothing and acted as a temporary escape from the day's previous events. There was no doubt in her mind that he loved her, but she was still unsure if he had another agenda that she was unaware of. Despite being eight o'clock in the evening, the sun had just started to set in the sky, streaks of pink and orange escaping from its fiery glare. Trying to sink deeper into the sand, she felt that it too was starting to lose its comforting heat. Standing up, she swept the sand that clung to her faded jeans and sky blue singlet top, like the snow up in Snowy Mountains, it gracefully floated to the ground.

Picking sandals up off the sand she made her was back across the beach towards the grand estate owned by Sark's associative. Sydney could sense she was a woman of power, not just because of her massive house and expensive cars, but the fear she witnessed in the eyes of those who worked for her. It was in her composure, the way she stood up straight and with her head held high, waves of confidence radiated from the way she positioned herself. It was her flawless jet-black hair that flowed like a waterfall down to the top of her hips. Most of all, it was her piercing green eyes. They would have the same effect on her employee's as Sark's did on his. _Fear and reputation._ That's all it was. Assassinate those of high importance and you will earn the respect of those in your field.

On the plane back from Canada, Sark told her that they would only be on the island for a couple days. _It's been 5 whole days Julian, when are we leaving?_ It had been this sentence that had surfaced during an argument that had sprouted almost an hour ago. _Just a few more days…that's what you said the other day. I want to leave Sark. I _don't_ feel comfortable or particularly safe here. _ Sark had yelled at her, a glimpse of his past self, and she walked out. _I'm not going to fight you Julian. I'm past all that now, maybe you should be too. _

000

"Julian" she purred as she walked towards him - her shoes tapping on the marble floor below with each step she took. He stood opposite two giant glass doors, exposing the ocean view. Upon hearing his name, he turned to see Sydney moving towards him. The light streaming in through the window illuminated the edges of his body creating a glowing effect. She strutted right up to the point where their noses almost touch then, tilting her head, leaned up to engage in a passionate kiss. Sark's hand immediately responded by attaching themselves to her hips and slowly lingered their way down her body. Even though their kiss, he could still feel her smile on his lips.

"Ahem…"Sydney pulled away to see Samantha standing in the corner. _Why didn't I see her standing there when I came in? I must be losing my edge. _Sydney thought. "If you two would like some time alone then I suggest you spend it in your bedroom, _alone._" The flicker of jealousy could be easily seen in her emerald eyes and Sydney took a couple of steps back from Sark. _Jealous bitch…_ "As I was saying Julian, before we were so rudely interrupted" she whipped her head around to glare at Sydney "is that I believe it is a fantastic idea and has a good chance of success." She finally broke eye contact with our heroine, walked over to Sark and whispered something in his ear. Sark nodded to her in reply then, in her cherry red, 3 inch stiletto heels, made her way back out of the room; but not before giving Sydney one final glance before she closed the door behind her.

"What was that about?" Sydney snapped at Sark who didn't do so much as move a muscle.

"You don't need to know about all my affairs, _love_." He replied in a cool tone.

"Don't you give me that bullshit Sark. Not after all we've been though."

"Sydney…"he cooed moving one step closer to her. She took a step back in response.

"Are you keeping secrets from me or are you not?" She crossed her arms and squinted her eyes and him in a frustrated manner.

"Not everything concerns you, _sweetheart_." _Don't you mess with me you arrogant bastard!_

"But it concerns _Samantha_ right?" She spat out her name with such distaste. His previous comment left Sydney in a state of degradation, as if she were not worthy of his trust, but this woman was. "We're you in love?" She bluntly asked. Sark didn't answer, didn't move. He just continued to stare at her. "Ok." She replied to his silence as it was fairly obvious what his answer would be. "Do you still love her?"

"In a way I will always love her." Sydney turned away, not willing to let him see the pain on her face. "It ended a long time ago Sydney. I'm here with you, not her." Regaining her composure and placing her hands on her hips, she turned back to face him.

"When are we leaving? It's been 5 whole days Julian, when are we leaving?"

"When we do." He spoke coolly.

"Just a few more days…that's what you said the other day. I want to leave Sark. I don't feel comfortable or particularly safe here."

"You need to wait Sydney."

"You don't control me Sark, I don't have to do anything you tell me." She shook her head and looked down at the floor. "I love you to bits and I want to be with you, but if you're going to be like this then I think leaving with you was a bad idea…"

"So what now, you're going to go, run back to your faithful agent Vaughn." The temper in his voice was rising, as was the volume.

"Don't you _dare_ bad mouth Michael." She could feel her own anger starting to spill over. "He's been a lot more tender and caring towards me than you have lately." Backing away from him and turning to leave the room she glanced back for her final comment. "I'm not going to fight you Julian. I'm past all that now, maybe you should be too." She closed the large door behind her and waited for a few seconds, hopeful that he would chase after her, begging for forgiveness but after a minute he didn't still hadn't come. She sighed heavily and walked out the other end of the mansion towards the private beach where the harsh light of day had started to lighten into dusk.

000

Exposing herself to the elements here gave her the illusion of escape that she craved. To an extent, Sydney didn't blame Sark for snapping at her. She knew that deserting his old lifestyle would be difficult to shake off. The thrill of the hunt. The satisfaction of the kill. It was a feeling that was hard to forget. In a way she understood what he was going though because she had experienced the same thing with Slone. The extreme need for him to be dead would drive her mad. He was like a screw that couldn't be removed from her head that dug deeper and deeper into her mind. _He needs to learn to adapt. _She knew that he loved her and was willing to adjust for her but she needed to give him space and time to alter to these changes. Of course, she knew that she too was also to blame, but not to the extent that he was. He should have predicted that she would undergo a slight pang of jealousy towards Ms. Churchill. He was trained to predict actions that occurred as a result of people's emotions; even those who weren't could have predicted the day's previous argument. Keeping secrets from one you claimed to love with a former lover. _Well DUH!_ It could have been seen from a mile away.

Sandals in hand, Sydney walked among the native garden. The smell of tropical flowers filled the air and the grass was cool beneath her feet. The lush green of the trees and the flamboyant colours of the flowers were darkening as the sun drew its light back from the sky, converting it back to darkness. The lights of the manor could be seen through the flora but she kept her distance. She walked along the prickly path to a grassy knoll over looking a cliff. By now it was dark and the stars broke though the cover of night. Looking out, she could see a red glow of a bonfire in the distance; a beach party most likely. She looked up at the sky above her. The silver coin moon was slightly covered by cloud causing it glow to brighten and fade according to its graceful movement. She started singing under her breath, "_Blue moon, you saw me standing alone, without a dream in my heart, without a love of my own…"_

"You know, your father and I danced to that song at our wedding." Sydney heard the bushes rustle behind her and, looking back, saw her mother emerge from its darkened cover. The reflection of the moon lit up her eyes and her hazelnut hair, which had coiled it's self around her neck, swayed with each movement.

"Mom?"

**_Come on people...I really need some feedback. I was strugling a bit with this chapter...SHARING IS CARING!!! I appriciate every review, good or not so good._**

**_I won't be able to post any new chapters for at least a week because I'm going to the Skiing for a week. So ya'll are going to have to wait for a while. _**


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